Take A Gamble On Love
by ThievesOverBullies
Summary: A/U Regina Mills has never been good at love, but could lady luck be changing for her when she wakes up in a Las Vegas hotel...not alone.
1. Chapter 1

Regina Mills shifted sleepily on the large, comfortable bed, the bare skin of her shoulders sliding across the rich satin fabric beneath her. Having apparently survived her best friend's bachelorette party in Vegas, Regina wanted nothing more than to drift back into dreamland, and would have, if not for the fact she had a raging headache pounding at her temples, and an equally awful taste in her mouth.

She wondered what the bartender had put in the cosmopolitans he had been serving her. After all, she'd paid him extra to make sure her beverages were—unlike those for the members of her betrothed sister's entourage—strictly nonalcoholic. This, in order to make sure she didn't lose all inhibition and do anything foolish, as she had been known to do in the past at these types of events.

Regina groaned and opened her eyes. Saw she had nothing on underneath the covers and what was surprising her the most was that there was a strong male arm clamped just beneath her breasts.

Startled, Regina blinked to clear her head, and blinked again. What…in the…world…? Had she been drinking last night? Because, honestly, that was the only way to explain any of this!

Still trying to get her bearings, Regina pushed herself into a sitting position, stared at what she saw. Tousled light brown hair, equally stunned blue eyes and an incredibly handsome, oh–so–familiar face that she dreaded seeing daily, covered with a two–day stubble of beard.

…

Despite the fact that he and the groom had been friends since childhood, Robin Locksley knew it had been a mistake to agree to be David Nolan's best man. Mostly because Robin's antagonist, Regina Mills, was the maid of honor. Physically, Robin and Regina had enough sparks to light up the entire east coast, but none of the natural compatibility needed to get along. Like oil and water, the two of them would never mix. Although Robin admitted privately to himself that he did enjoy getting under the pretty attorney's skin. Had she not been so uptight… But she was. And he'd had far too many rules growing up to want to pepper his adulthood with any more. These days, he and he alone decided what was right for him, and in what manner he wanted to live.

As if to prove that point, Regina's delicate hand closed over his wrist—which was still clamped against her slender form.

"You!" she hissed, flinging his arm away, like some odious piece of trash. "What are you doing here?"

Good question, Robin thought, rolling over onto his back and taking a lazy look around. They were in a hotel room, all right. Together. For what had apparently been the rest of the night. The larger question was what exactly had happened the night before?

"Explain to me what you are doing here!" Regina demanded.

Trying not to get distracted by how beautiful the disheveled brunette looked in the sunlight pouring in through the windows, Robin glanced at the hand she was waving indignantly in front of him. More telling than the knowledge she was a lefty, was the plain gold band encircling her ring finger.

Robin fought the sinking feeling in his gut, and a hazy memory of an emotional albeit slightly tipsy exchange with Regina, followed by a dare, and a trip to the Las Vegas marriage bureau. Which, unfortunately for the two of them, stayed open till midnight, daily.

He dimly recalled more taunting, the purchase of a marriage license, and then with Regina's bossy friend trying desperately to derail the very bad idea while her groom–to–be goaded them on, a trip—with the entire wedding party—to one of the brightly lit wedding chapels on the Strip…

"Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" Regina demanded, even more outraged.

Robin remembered selecting an Elvis and the Showgirl–themed wedding, never dreaming a straitlaced woman like Regina would follow through on the wild idea—even to win a bet. And then, there were wedding vows being said, but not by David and Mary Margaret, but by…oh, hell…no…

Robin tore his gaze from the color streaming into Regina's cheeks and looked down at his own left hand. In squaring with his fuzzy memories, there was a band there, too, identical to hers. Rather than try to explain, he lifted it for her to see. "Just this," he commented drily, leaving her to fill in the rest just as he had.

Regina tossed her head indignantly. "If this is a joke—" she speared him with her dark eyes, apparently not recalling anything yet "—I am not laughing Locksley."

Nor was he. His heart thundering, Robin sat up, too. He shoved both his hands through his hair, hardly able to believe he had done what he swore he never would. And actually followed in the impulsive footsteps of his oft–married, even more frequently divorced, parents.

"You do know what happened!" Regina yelled.

"Would you mind toning it down, it's very early and I'm mildly hungover," Robin said.

"I don't remember anything," Regina said.

"It's beginning to come back to me," Robin admitted gruffly. Although the memory was still fuzzy. And yet oddly romantic in a romantic comedy kind of way.

Regina grabbed the sheet and leaped from the bed. Holding the sheet around her body, she paced back and forth, as he watched her mumble to herself. "I can't wait to hear!"

Robin tore his eyes from the sumptuous breasts about to spill out from behind the sheet and recollected, "It was after the bachelor party, when we met up with the bachelorettes in the bar next to the casino. Talk turned to marriage and you bet I'd never say 'I do.'"

Regina paused, and wet her lips. Already, Robin noted, the story sounded plausible to her. Probably because she had been ragging on him about that since the two of them had first met two years before.

He shrugged and continued. "I said, 'Sure I would. You're the one who doesn't have the guts to tie the knot.'"

Regina paled, apparently recalling now, too. "And that's when I took you up on the dare and we all went to the county clerk's office for a license, then to the chapel on the Strip…"

Robin tensed as it all became more and more real. "I kept thinking you'd back out."

Regina sent him an accusing glare. "I kept thinking you would."

Robin groaned and scrubbed a hand over his face. Unfortunately, neither of them had. "So we got married to the stunned amazement of everyone else in the wedding party, and the continual railing of your best friend. And had a glass or two of champagne."

"And that's the last thing I remember," Regina whispered, her hand pressed to her soft, trembling lips.

Robin only wished that were the case with him. Although not completely sober himself after an evening out carousing with the guys, he had known Regina was tipsy from the get–go. He'd even heard the other bridesmaids giggling about tipping the bartender extra to put liquor in her drinks after all, because they all knew the ever–uptight Regina had a tendency to say and do surprisingly unexpected and/or hilarious things when under the influence of even one drink. And they'd wanted to see if they could get her to loosen up, and liven things up.

Loosen up, she had. She married him.

"This can't be happening," Regina said.

"It was bound to happen between us, with the way you sass me all the time intentionally," Robin said.

"Then why do you provoke me?" Regina asked.

"Because I enjoy rattling your bones," Robin said. "And from the looks of it, we rattled each other's bones last night."

Pale, shaking, Regina moved to sit on the edge of the bed.

Although the know–it–all had a habit of getting under his skin as thoroughly as he got under hers, Robin abruptly felt sorry for her. He reached over and covered her small, delicate hand with his. "Look. We were out of our minds."

Regina stiffened and withdrew her palm. "Clearly."

"Regina," Robin was saying as Regina sat up abruptly and started to pace the room again.

"We'll just have to find the quickest divorce lawyer and get this taken care of immediately," Regina said.

"Regina we don't have to rush into anything," Robin said as he went to stand in front of her.

"Are you kidding?" Regina said rather loudly. "We just got married last night because of a damn bet Locksley!"

"Well before you decide anything else, there is something you might need to remember," Robin said as he got out of the bed, wearing only his wedding ring.

"What's that?" Regina asked. For her part, she kept her eyes on his face.

"You're now a Locksley too," Robin said as he leaned down and kissed a shocked Regina on the cheek before turning and heading into the bathroom. "Wife."


	2. Chapter 2

Six months later...

"If any of you can show just cause why they may not lawfully be married, speak now or forever hold you peace."

Regina smiled encouragingly at Bishop Vaughn.

The reverend returned her smile and opened his mouth to continue...before fixating on something in the pews over Regina's shoulder.

Regina heard it then, too. The footfalls sounded ever closer.

_No..._it couldn't be.

"I object."

Regina heard the commanding words fall like an anvil on her heart.

A sick feeling gripped her. She closed her eyes.

She recognized that voice-its tone bland but edged with mockery. She heard it a million times in her dreams...her most illicit fantasies-the ones that left her blushing and appalled when she woke. And when she hadn't heard it there, she'd had the misfortune of catching it from a distance at a society event or in a television interview or two.

There was a rustling and murmuring in the congregation. Beside her, Daniel had gone still. Bishop Vaughn looked quizzical.

Slowly, Regina turned. Daniel took his cue from her lead.

Even though she knew what, no, _who_ to expect, her eyes widened as they met those of the man who should have be a distant memory to her. Robin Locksley, a co-counselor and the man who knew her most humiliating secret.

When her eyes connected with his, she felt longing and dread at the same time. Even under cover of her veil, she could tell there was challenge and possessiveness in his gaze.

He looked large, even though he wasn't up at the alter with her. His face was hard and uncompromising, his jaw square. Only even features and an aquiline nose saved him from looking harsh.

His hair was the same that she remembered and a several shades lighter than her own. Brows winged over eyes as blue as they were fathomless.

Regina raised her chin and met his challenge head on. How did one crash a wedding? Apparently the ticket was a blue business suit and black tie. She supposed she should be glad he'd at least settled on formal attire.

Then again, she'd hardly seen Robin the big New York lawyer in anything other than a power suit that did nothing to disguise his athletic build. Well, except for that one night...

"What is the meaning of this, Locksley?" her father demanded as he rose from his seat in the first pew.

Regina scanned the settles mass of New York high society. Her family seemed aghast, but other guests looked fascinated by the unfolding drama.

Her bridesmaids and groomsmen appeared ill at ease, even her friend Mary Margaret, who always seems self assured.

Off to the side of the church, her other close friend and wedding planner, Rose, had blanched.

"I say, Locksley," Daniel spoke up, irritated and alarmed. "You were not invited today."

Robin shifted his gaze from the bride to her intended, and his lips curled. "Invited or not, I would hazard to guess that my position in Regina's life entitles me to a say in these proceedings, wouldn't you?"

Regina was acutely aware of the hundreds of pairs of interested eyes witnessing the show unfolding at the altar.

Bishop Vaughn frowned, clearly perplexed, and then cleared his throat. "Well, it appears I'm compelled to resort to words that I've never had to use before." He paused. "Upon what grounds do you object to this marriage?"

Robin Locksley, with an edge of confidence, looked into Regina's eyes.

"Upon the grounds that Regina is married to me."

As the words reverberated off the soaring walls of the cathedral size church, gasps sounded all around. Behind Regina, the reverend began to cough. Beside her, Daniel stiffened.

Regina's eyes narrowed. She could detect mockery in Robin's expression. It lurked in the area around his eyes and in the slight edge of his mouth.

"I'm afraid you must be mistaken," Regina stated hoping against hop that she could prevent this scene from getting worse.

Still, Robin looked too sure of himself. "Mistaken about our visit to a wedding chapel in Las Vegas over six months ago? Regrettable, I must disagree."

There was a collective gasp from the assembled guests. Regina's stomach plummeted. Her face felt suddenly hot. She stopped herself from replying, for what could she say that wouldn't add to the damage?

Regina knew she had to move this scene to a place where she could face down her demons, or, rather, one demon in particular, in a less public way. "Shall we resolve this matter somewhere more private?"

Without waiting for a response, and with as much dignity as she could muster, she gathered up the skirt of her wedding dress in one hand and swept down the altar steps, careful not to make eye contact with anyone among the congregated guests as she held her head high.

She walked through beams of sunlight slanting through the air. Outside, Regina knew, it was a perfect June day. Inside, it was another story.

Her perfect wedding was ruined by the man whom she loathed the most in world right now. If she hadn't been wise enough before to think he was despicable, on that one night in particular, she certainly did now.

Robin turned and followed her across the front of the church and through an open doorway that led into a corridor with several doors. Behind Robin, Regina heard Daniel, her erstwhile groom, follow.

When she stopped in the corridor, she heard a louder rustling and murmuring break out in the church. Now that the principal parties had exited the area of worship, she assumed the congregants felt at greater liberty to voice their whispers.

She ducked into an unoccupied room nearby. Looking around, she concluded from the sparse furnishings and lack of personal belongings that the room probably served as a staging area for church functions.

Turning around, Regina watched both the groom and her alleged husband follow her into the room. Robin closed the door on the curious faces still looking at them from the main area of the church.

Regina threw her veil and rounded on Locksley. "How could you!"

Robin was close, and she was practically vibrating with tension, her heart beating loudly. Until now, Robin was the embodiment of her biggest secret and greatest transgression. She'd tried to avoid of ignore him, but today running was out of the question.

Outrage was, of course, not only the logical but also the easiest emotion to adopt.

"You have better have a good reason for your actions, Locksley," Daniel said, his face tight. "What possible explanation can you have for ruining our wedding with these outlandish lies?"

Robin looked unperturbed. "A wedding certificate."

"I don't know what alternate reality you've been living in, Locksley," Daniel replied. "but no one else is amused by it."

Robin merely looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Our marriage was annulled," she blurted. "It never existed!"

Daniel looked crestfallen. "So it's true?" You and Locksley are married?"

"We _were_. Past tense," Regina responded. "And only for a matter of hours, months ago. It was nothing."

"Hours?" Robin mused. "How many hours are in six months? Roughly about four thousand three hundred and ninety two, by my calculations."

Regina rued Robin's facility with math. She'd been stupidly enamored by it, by him at the gaming tables before their impetuous Las Vegas elopement. And now it had come back to haunt her. But how could it be true that they'd been married for the last six months? She'd signed the papers, it was all meant to be wiped away.

"You were supposed to have obtained an annulment," Regina accused.

"The annulment was never finalized," Robin responded calmly. "Ergo, we are still married."

Her eyes rounded. She was a person who prided herself on remaining unruffled. After all, she'd faced down the occasional recalcitrant client in her position as an attorney. But if her brief history with Robin was anything to judge by, he had an unparalleled ability to get under her skin.

"What do you mean by not finalized?" Regina demanded. "I know I signed annulment papers. I distinctly remember doing so." Her brows furrowed with sudden suspicion. "Unless you misrepresented what I was signing?"

"Nothing so dramatic," Robin said with enviable composure. "An annulment is more complicated than simply signing a contract. In our case, the annulment papers were not properly filed with the court of judgment, and important last step."

"And whose fault was that?" Regina demanded.

Robin looked her in the eye. "The matter was overlooked."

"Of course," Regina snapped. "And you waited until today to tell me?"

Robin shrugged. "It wasn't an issue until now."

She was flabbergasted by his composure. Was this Robin's way of getting back at her for leaving him in the lurch?

"I don't believe this," Daniel threw up his hands, his reaction echoing her feelings.

She hadn't wanted anyone to know of her incredible lapse in judgment. Now she regretted the decision not to proceed with her own legal counsel in her annulment with Robin. Not only had she not made sure her annulment had been properly finalized because she'd wanted to forget the whole sorry episode in Las Vegas as soon as possible, but as a result she'd put her trust in Robin to see the annulment through.

Robin's gaze swept over her. "Very nice. Certainly a departure from what you wore during our ceremony."

"Well when you're marrying the devil, what difference does it make what you wear?" Regina tossed back.

"You didn't act as if I were the devil at the time," he responded silkily, his voice lowering." In fact, I recall-"

"I wasn't myself," she bit out.

_I was out of my mind._ That's right, she thought feverishly. Wasn't insanity a basis for annulment almost every where?

"Insane?" Robin queried. "Already trying to create a watertight defense to bigamy?"

"I did not commit bigamy."

"Only through my timely intervention."

The man was infuriating. "Timely? We've been married six months according to your calculation."

Robin inclined his head in acknowledgment. "And counting."

She was incredulous at his audacity. But then she supposed that, as her spouse, Robin felt he took precedence over Daniel, an _almost_ husband. And he'd be right, damn him. Even physically, Robin was more imposing. He was the same height as Daniel but more muscular and formidable.

She rued her continuing awareness of Robin as a man. Still, it was a situation she intended to rectify forthwith to the extent she could.

"How long have you known we were still married?" Regina demanded.

Robin shrugged. "Does it matter if I arrived in time?"

She smelled a rat from his evasive response. _He'd wanted to create a scene._

Still, he gave nothing away.

"You'll be hearing from me in court," she stated.

"I look forward to it."

"We're getting an annulment."

"Not today, however. Not even the state of Nevada works that fast."

He had a point there. Her wedding day was well and truly ruined.

She stared at him in impotent fury. "These are grounds," she insisted, reassuring herself. "I clearly must have been insane when I married you."

"We agreed on lack of consent due to intoxication, you'll recall," he parried.

"I can't believe you delivered the new on my wedding day that you were derelict in filing our annulment papers." Regina said.

Maybe its all about timing," Robin said.

"What on earth are we doing to do?" Regina asked.

"Stay married?" he asked mockingly.

"Never!"

Regina turned to exit as her father and Bishop Vaughn barged in.

As she brushed past her father, she heard her relative demand, "I hope you have a good explanation, Locksley, though I can only imagine what it is!"

Apparently, all hell had broken loose in the hallowed sanctum.


End file.
